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W'. K. OROPFORD.

NEWSPAPER FILE.

1881888248, Patented M31227, 1888, 7

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WARREN K.'GROFFORD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

NEWSPAPER-FILE. I

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 380.246, dated March 27, 1888.

Applicationfilcd April 14, 1885. RcnewedAugust 26, 1887. Serial No. 247,948. (No model.)

panying drawings, which form a part of thisspecification, and in which-- Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the file open and ready to receive the papers to be filed. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the file filled with papers and closed. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the file closed, and Fig. 4 is a detail view showing a modified construction of the sliding spring catch or lock.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in allthe figures.

My invention has relation to that class of files which are adapted more particularly for the filing and preservation of newspapers and periodicals; and the objects of my improvement are, first, to afford facilities for filing the papers and periodicals in consecutive order, either by their margin or through the middle, as may be desired, and, secondly, to afford facilities for the removal and replacing of the papers upon either the upper or lower side of the filein such a manner that the pressure upon the papers shall be continuous from end to end.

To this end my improvement consists in the construction and combination of parts, which will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

Reference being had to the accompanying drawings, A denotesthe lower part of the file, which has a'suitable handle, 0, which may be either in one piece with the part A or made in a separate part and suitably attached thereto, as may be desired.

B is the upper or movable part, which is connected to one end of the lower part, A, by the adjustable hinge D, which works in a kerf or recess, R, which is cut in the two parts A and B where these are hinged together. Said parts are fastened to the hinge by pins or rivets passing through the holes d, and,if desired, an

additional hole, d, maybe made in the projecting part of the hinge, through which a ring or hook may be inserted for fastening the file to a table, wall, or other convenient place.

That portion of the hinge D which is inserted into the kerf or recess in thepa'rt-A has a projection, D, constructed with a lip or finger, D which bears against a spring, G, of any suitable constructionand material, which is placed in a recess cut in the part A to receive it, so that it will be seen that when the two parts A and B are clamped on opposite sides of the file of papers the spring G, by pressing upon the lip D of the hinge, will exert a certain amount of pressure upon the papers which are disposed between the two parts of the file.

The spring catch or look E works in a kerf or recess in the lower part, A, in which it is held movably by a pin or rivet, h, passing transversely through the slot H, thus giving free play, forward or back, of the catch to the extent of the length of the slot. This catch or lock E is constructed with a rearwardlyprojecting guide-piece, E, and on the opposite side with aseries of steps or notches, J, adapted to engage'the rivet K, which is inserted trans-' versely through a slot, Q, in the free end of the movable arm B. The catch E is actuated by aspring, I, placed in a recess in the part A or in the handle, and adapted to force the catch in the direction of the rivet K. The part of the catch above the notches or offsets- J is made beveled -or slanting, so that when the movable part B is closed down upon the catch, the latter passing through the slot in the free end of part B, the rivet K, by bearing against the inclined part of the catch, will force the latter backward against the spring 0 7 until the rivet 'K shall have passed the projecting end or nose of the catch, when the rivet will engage or interlock with anyone of the series of stops or notches, and thus, in conjunction with the adjustable spring-hinge at the other end of the file, firmly clamp or clasp the file of papers-between the two parts A and B. If said parts and the handle 0 are made of wood, I construct that part of the device upon which the projecting part of the catch slides with a metallic rest or chafing-plate, N, for the purpose of preventing unnecessary wear. Where the several parts of the device are made of metal, itis obvious that this chafingplate may be dispensed with.

If desired,tl1e sliding spring-catch E may be constructed as shown in Fig. 4-that is to say, with two slots instead of the single slot H, in which case two rivets are used, one for each slot. It will readily be seen that this construction does not affect the operation of the device, and amounts to nothing more than a colorable variation from the construction shown in Fig. 3.

O 0 represent the pins on which the matter to be filed is placed and retained in position. These pins are arranged alternatelyin the upper and lower parts of the file, projecting into suitable recesses or apertures, P P, in the op posite part of the file. This alternate arrangement of the pins permits the matter which is filed to be removed from either the upper or the lower side of the file without the necessity of disarranging or disturbing the remainder of the matter on file, as would be the case if the pins were upon one side or part of the file only.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, the construction and operation of my improved file will readily be understood without requiring extended eX- planation. It will be seen that the steps or offsets on the spring-catch permit that end of the file to adjust itself automatically according to the thickness of the papers placed between the two parts of the file, and the construction of the hinge which connects said parts permits the hinged end of the file to give or yield in the same proportion. By this con struction and combination of parts there will always be an even pressure upon the filed matter from one end of the file to the other.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States 1. The combination of the two hinged parts of the file, the adjustable spring-actuated hinge connecting said parts at one end, and the spring-actuated catch or lock having a beveled nose and a series of steps or notches receding gradually from the projecting nose and adapted to engage and interlock with a pin or rivet in the free end of the movable part of the file, substantially as and for the purpose shown and set forth.

2. The combination, in a newspapenfile, of the slotted and recessed part A, spring G, and hinge D, constructed with the projecting part D, having a lip or finger, D, bearing against the spring, substantially as and for the purpose shown and set forth.

3. The combination, in a newspaperfile, of the slotted and recessed part A, spring I, and sliding catch or lock E, having slot H, and provided with a beveled or inclined front side and a series of steps or notches, J, substantially as and for the purpose shown and set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WARREN OROFFORD.

WVitnesses:

V. DITTMAR, JAMES J. RENsoN. 

